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Every year since 2005, The Children’s Museum has recognized incredible youth who have impacted their communities with extraordinary service. The Power of Children Awards, inspired by the Power of Children: Making a Difference exhibit, awards these winners with a partial university scholarship to IUPUI, UIndy, or Butler University along with a $2,000 grant to continue their philanthropic projects.
We’re highlighting each winner with a further look into the service projects they’ve built to transform their community. Today’s winner is Cameron Northern, who raises money to purchase and deliver school supplies to help educate children half-way around the world.
Name: Cameron Northern
Grade: 8
City: Martinsville, IN
Project: Fundraising for Nyaka Aids Orphans Project
Cameron discovered the Nyaka Aids Orphans Project in 2007. The organization provides care like education, food, and healthcare to children who have lost their parents to AIDS. In her application essay, Cameron wrote:
...After hearing about their desperate need for funding, I talked to my parents and committed myself to raising money every year to send these orphans to school.
Cameron quickly wrote a letter to family and friends, hoping to raise $100 to send to the organization—she instead raised almost $1,000. After that, Cameron stayed in touch with the organization and did whatever she could to continue to send support. Here are just a few of her many achievements:
- Collected over 250 lbs. of school supplies
- Created and sold flower pens resulting in $750 raised
- Completed an indoor triathlon resulting in $2,603 in sponsor donations
- Found sponsors for an entire Ugandan kindergarten class of 35 students
The director of the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project, Jackson Kaguri, awarded Cameron with the Young Hero of the Year award and sent her pictures of the orphanage in which she helped. Cameron has planned and executed a fundraiser every year for the past seven years.
I am completely committed to helping these children! I’m working on my idea for my fundraiser for this year and any additional resources given would go towards this year’s fundraiser.
To date, Cameron has raised over $20,000 for the project. She soon plans to travel to the orphanage and document her travels and time there to ultimately spread national awareness of the program.
Congratulations, Cameron. And thank you for continuing to make it your mission to help children half-way across the world.
